Treating or retting fiber-bearing plants



[hpn 9, rate.

MARTIN VTADIDELL AND HENRY COWAN WATSON, 0F BELFAflT, IRELAND, ASQIGlEOiR-S TO WATSUN-WADDELL LIMITED, 0F BELFAST, IRELAND, A. UUMPANY OF N OETHEHBZ IRELAND.

TREATING UR BETTING FIBER-EEARING PLANTS.

No Drawing. Application filed October 31, 1927', Serial No. 230,176, and in Great Britain, September 14;, 19%,

The invention relates to the preparing and rctting of flax fiber bearing plants to remove therefrom the gain or gunnning matter con-' tained in the plant.

According to the invention the treating or rotting is eti'ected by subjecting the fiber in the form of rove to the action of yeast and/or other fermenting bacteria in a liquid bath with or without dilutions of acids such as sulphurous acid or compounds or extracts of sulphur. T he ferment may be carried out at a temperature of 70 to 80 I.

As applied toflax grown for fiber, the fiber prior to rotting is spun or twisted into a rove and the rove is immersed in water containing yeast (with or without other substances) and/or aerobic or an aerobic bacteria. The rove may be wound in an open state on to a reel fitted or mounted upon a rove bobbin or other support. Ur it may be treated in hank for'in or wound on a bobbin perforated or otherwise or the rove may be drawn through a trough or vat containingwaler and yeast on its way to a spinning frame.

[is applied to than grown for seed the plant is utter d rying with heat threshed and carded in the same machine being deseeded and the woody material removed at the same opera tion and the fiber therefrom carded or rubbed into a sliver and twisted. into a rove and the rove so formed rotted in a solution of yeast or other tor-merits as above described.

In either case the rove may be subsequently boiled or bleached if desired and after rotting it may be treated with a preservative such as a tar product to prevent further fermentation. 'lhis rove so retted may be placed in the creel of a spinning frame and drawn through the trough and spun in the usual. Way or dried and softened and spun on dry spinning fran'le.

The rotting by means 01 yeast is carried out in a bath of from 70 to 80 F. and will produce alcohol in such quantities as may form a profitable by-product.

W] hat we claim as our invention and desire to protect by Letters Patent is 1. Process for ret-ting flax consisting in spinning the fiber into a. rove and immersing the rove in water containing yeast.

2.. Process for rotting iiaX consisting in spinning the iiber into a rove and immersing the revs in water containing yeast and SulpllHl'OllS acid.

Process for rotting flax consisting in spinning; the fiber into a rove and immersing; the rore in water containing yeast, other ten menting bacteria and sulphurous acid.

4. Process for rotting,- flax consisting; in spinning the fiber into a rove and in'unersing the rove in water at a temperature of 70 to 80 F. containing yeast, other fermenting; bacteria and sulphurous acid.

in testimony whereof We have hereunto set our hands.

. MARTIN W ADDELL HENRY CUWAN WATSON. 

